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?^i™"^£^^^ stooping with face low to make a low backhand shot. On 
a lower ball his face would have been still lower. 



*— — 5 1—1 i ' SrAi.DiNci " Ri:d Cover ' Skkiks oi 







I I I I AiHi.ETlc Handbook 

(J No. 84R 



Thirty-four Common 

tennis Errors 

of the Million Players 
and The Remedy; also 
a Theory of Campaign 

(never before stated) 
BY CHARLES LaRUE 



PUBLISHED BY 



n AMERICAN SPORTS PUBLISHING (1 

d pi COMPANY rz; !=1 

_l U U-j 45 KosE Stkeet, New York c — *'-''—. 



Copyright, 1920 

BY THE 

American Sports Publishing Company 
New York 



©CI.A570846 



JUL 27 1920 



DEDICATED TO 

THE OTHER "DUBS*' 

BY 

Charles LaRue^ 
-New York City 



^And may you better reck the rede 
Tlian ever did tW adviser/' 

— Robert Burns. 



PREFACE TO THE SECOND 
EDITION 

Altliough referring to himself as a 
"dub/' and dedicating his work "to the 
other dubs/' the author has made a 
valuable contribution to the literature 
of Lawn Tennis. His legal training — 
Mr. LaRue is a prominent member of 
the Bar in New York City — has enabled 
him to present the facts of scientific 
play in a manner which will help any 
player to analyze his own methods and 
thereby correct faults or acquire accu- 
racy. Many prominent players have 
endorsed Mr. LaRue's observations and 
agree that if followed carefully there 
will be undoubted improvement in play. 
The Publishers. 



INTRODUCTION 

The tennis primers teaching the rules and 
elements of the game relate to facts usually 
learned from friends, and therefore are little 
read. 

The facts regarding grips and strokes are 
also easiest learned by imitating your friends 
and therefore Mr. Vaile's admirable work on 
that subject is neglected by nine players out 
of ten. 

The elaborate books by illustrious players 
are accorded that degree of interest due to 
celebrity and due to the entertainment afford- 
ed by biography, history of the sport, accounts 
of matches and theories on all conceivable 
topics. 

But the average player really yearns for only 
one thing in print, namely, to he told what his 
errors are and how to correct them. 

The thirty-four common simple errors dis- 
cussed in the next few pages cannot elsewhere 



6 Spalding's Athletic Library 

be found in print without laborious search 
through long books of irrelevant matters and 
through the drawing of difficult deductions. 
Practically the errors and remedies are "con- 
cealed'^ rather than "set forth'' in these elab- 
orate treatises. 

This book will avoid the topics which have 
been mentioned as lacking interest and con- 
fine itself to the common errors, their reme- 
dies and the theories relevant thereto. It will 
include a general theory of campaign never 
before set forth. 

Its value is its usefulness. 

Its novelty is that it presents desired facts 
which can be found elsewhere only with the 
greatest effort, and presents them concisely and 
grouped with an approach to system. 

The man who makes no errors is not invaria- 
bly the best to give advice, because he is apt 
to overlook entirely what he considers almost 
impossible "fool" mistakes and his technical 
instruction sometimes passes the under- 
standing of the mediocre player. The most ser- 
viceable tips to the poor players come usually 



Spalding s Athletic Library 7 

from those little better than themselves. lu 
short, in some ways only a "dub'' can teach 
a "dub," because only he understands "duh- 
ness." The writer claims no special personal 
tennis-playing proficienc}^, but merely thirty 
years of observation as player and spectator 
and the ability to analyze the cause of error, 
to prescribe in usable form the appropriate 
remedies and arrange them with an approach 
to system. 

"Pressing^^ Contrasted With Under-play. 
The most important errors are the wrong 
selection of degree of speed, twist and close 
placement, and I therefore take this as the 
principal starting point in arranging a dis- 
cussion of errors. 

The two most general, most persistent and 
most harmful errors relating to degree of speed, 
twist and close placement are the two oppo- 
site characteristics of too great zeal and too 
great caution. The former I will call "press- 
ing" (adopting the golf term) ; the latter I 
will term "underplay" (as I seem to lack an 



8 Spalding's Athletic Library 

established single word with sufficiently accu- 
rate meaning) . Practically all players have to 
a greater or less degree either one characteris- 
tic or the other, and probably a majority of 
players succeed in cultivating both of these 
contrasted fault.i by varying from one to the 
other. In this class cultivating both charac- 
teristics are : 

(1) Those who for a time press all shots and 
then for a time under-play all shots, and 

(2) Others who simultaneously combine the 
two faults by pressing at all times on certain 
linds of shots and by under-playing at all times 
on certain other Icinds of shots. (The most 
common examples of the latter are those un- 
duly pressing their first serves while unreason- 
ably under-playing their second serves.) 




4J — - JJ, 



-^ '(CO 



ftj-, \^ 1^ ^ 



Spalding s Athletic Library 



THE ERROR OF ** PRESSING '' 

This golf term "pressing," I use as mean- 
ing the employment of too much force and 
endeavor and especially for the using of the 
"very last available ounce" of energy in a 
given stroke, when that last ounce is entirely 
unnecessary and changes what would other- 
wise be a controllable safe play into a play 
that becomes both wild and unreliable. 

"Pressing" appears most persistently in the 
following eight cases. 

J, 
The Error of "Pressing'' in the "Over- 
Fierce" First Serve. 

I mean where the first serve is invar iahly 
made with such extreme fierceness that it goes 
into court only such a small percentage of 
times that it cannot be justified as worth 
while by any manner of mathematical calcu- 
lation whatsoever. It is probably the most 



10 Spalding's Athletic Library 

expensive error on the average among any hun- 
tlred players we might select at random. 
Damage — 

(a) It practically wastes the server's most 
valuable opportunity, his chance of winning 
an ace or at least of securing a good attack, on 
the first service where he dare take a chance. 

(b) It usually results in his second service 
being made unnecessarily slow ( for it must be 
considerably different from the impossible 
reckless first serve) and the change in form 
renders the control of the second serve less 
exact and necessitates playing it slower than 
Avould be the case if the two serves were more 
nearly alike. 

(c) The adversary derives the advantage 
that he can practically rely on the first ball 
going out and can also rely on the second ball 
being a very easy one. 

Remedy — 

Decide that 3'OU Avill put at least five (or 
seven) out of every ten first serves into court, 
and slow up enough, so that you do it (keep- 
ing count of them till the error is cured). 



Spalding's Athletic Library 11 

II. 

The Error of Pressing in the "Over-Fierce'' 
Top-Spin Drive, Backhand. 

I mean where it is played so rashly that it 
goes in court less than 60 per cent, of the time. 

Damage — 

The point is deliberately thrown- away and 
the over-fierce player of this shot usually does 
ijot succeed in mastering the shot so long as 
he continues the over-fierce method. 

Remedy — 

Play them for a time, not merely a little 
slower, nor merely at medium pace, but play 
them as slowly as you can for a time until you 
secure control of the play with 80 per cent, 
accuracy and then gradually increase speed, 
but all the time see that you are keeping the 
accuracy above 80 per cent., oi^ if it falls below 
that, then again temporarily reduce the speed. 

III. 

The Error of Pressing in an "Over-Fierce" 
Top-Spin Drive, Forehand. 
Pressing is not so often a characteristic of 
thetop-spin drive, forehand as it is of the top- 



12 Spalding's Athletic Library 

spin drive, backhand. Where it applies, the 

same damage results and the same remedy is 

applicable. 

IV. 

The Error of Pressing in Playing a Level 
Shot from Back Court to an Adver- 
sary AT the Net (Instead of Lobbing 
Over Him or Playing an Opening Beside 
Him). 

Damage — 

The adversary probably kills it with a cross 
court play and you have deliberately thrown 
away the point. 

Remedy — 

When caught in that position, unless reason- 
ably cert^ain of the side opening, make yourself 
lob. (See elsewhere herein a discussion of 

lobbing. ) 

V. 

The Error of Pressing in Playing a Top-Spin 
Drive When Taken Lower Than the 
Top of the Net and Within Ten or Fif- 
teen Feet of the Net. 

You have to play up on it in order to raise 
it over the net and few players in playing up 



Spalding's Athletic Library 13 

on a ball so close to the net have sufficient con- 
trol of the drop of the top-spin drive to be 
certain of having it strike the ground before 
it passes the back line. When this shot is 
attempted within ten or fifteen feet of the net 
it is impossible for many who play it easily 
when taken twenty-five or more feet from the 
net. Many who fail repeatedly, refuse to rec- 
ognize the difference between the two situa- 
tions. 

Damage — 

The point is wasted. 

Remedy — 

If you believe you can play top-spin drives 
on low balls within ten or fifteen feet of the net, 
first try using extra twist and a slower speed 
(both of which changes will increase the 
drop). If they still refuse to go into court, 
you must give them up and use some other style 
of stroke for that particular position. 

VI. 

The Error of Pressing in Playing Over- 
Hard ON A Difficult "Get." 
When the difficulty of getting to the ball to 



14 Spalding's Athletic Library 

play it at all has been so great as to render the 
playing of it inaccurate, then it is usually un- 
wise to increase such inaccuracy by attempt- 
ing speed, twist and placement. 

Damage — 

The point is thrown away. 

Remedy — 

Try to play it safely, deferring the effort 
to win until a, later shot. 

VII. 

The Error of Pressing in Trying to Play a 
Fierce Smash or Other "Kill'' When 
THE Circumstances do Not Justify a 
Reasonable Hope That You Will Ac- 
complish A Kill and There Is Not a 
Sufficient Percentage of Probability 
OF Your Play Going Into Court. 

Damage — 

You throw away the point. 

Remedy — 

Either slow the play enough so that it is 
reas<^uably safe or else substitute a different 



Spalding's Athletic Library 15 

style of safe stroke and wait for a better chance 
before you try to make a winning shot. 

VIII. 

The Error of Pressing Also Appears in 
Other Shots in Other Positions, Where 
BY Extra Speed, Extra Twist, or Extra 
Close Placement, the Play is Made Un- 
necessarily Reckless. 
A mathematical computation will show that 
you need to put from 60 to 90 per cent, of most 
kinds of plays into court in order to win, and 
if you so play that a smaller percentage than 
that go into court, then you are pressing. 

Damage — 

The points are thrown away. 

Remedy — 

Decide what percentage of that kind of shot 
you must put in court in order to win and 
then slow up enough so you think you will 
attain that percentage. Try to test the result 
by keeping mentally some kind of count. If 
the result remains unsatisfactory, substitute a 
safer style of shot. 



16 Spaldinc/s Athletic Library 



THE ERROR OF **UNDER-PLAY'^ 

Under-play is the use of less speed and less 
twist and less closeness of placement than 
could be used with profit. You do not play 
hard enough to make winning shots and your 
easy shots give your adversary an opportunity 
to make kills. 

"Under-Pla}''" Appears Most Persistently in 
the following ten cases : 

I. 

The Error of Under-Play in Using Less 
Speed Than You Could Safely Use. 

For instance, in neglecting a safe opportu- 
nity to smash, or in playing any shot too 
slowly, without reason. 

(Discussion of the exceptional intentionally 
slow shot is omitted. ) 

Damage — 

(a) You miss the immediate winning of 
those points which tlie greater speed would 




NORMAN E. BROOKES 



Spalding's Athletic Library 17 

have kept entirely out of your adversary's 
reach, and 

(b) Those you would have made him fail 
to return, and 

(c) On those he returns you give him more 
time and an easier play, so that his play is 
ijound to be more effective. 

Remedy — 

Make yourself use as much speed as is rea- 
sonably safe and keep track of whether you 
are continuing to use it. 

II. 

The Error of Under-Play in Using Less 
Closeness of Placement Than You 
Could Employ With Profit. 

For instance, in playing right into your ad- 
versary's hands, when you might safely try to 
pass him at the side. 

Damage — 

Yqu lose many points (as previously (in I.) 
noted). 



18 Spalding's Athletic Library 

Remedy — 

Force yourself to play as close to the desired 
point as is reasonably safe. 

III. 

The Error of Under-Play in Using Less 
Twist Than Could Be Safely Used With 
A Profit. 

For instance, in playing straight shots when 
your top-spin drive would be safe and make 
your play stronger. 

Damage — 

You lose many points ( as previously (in I. ) 
noted). 

Remedy — 

Force yourself to remember to use twist 
where it is likely to be serviceable. 

IV. 

The Error of Under-Play in Failing to Use 
THE Combination of Speed, Placement 
AND Twist, When You Could Use Them 
Safely With Greater Effectiveness. 

For instance, using only one quality on your 



Spalding's Athletic Library 19 

serve when the three qualities combined are 
within your control with safety and would 
strengthen your service. 

Damage — 

You lose many points (as previously (in I.) 
noted). 

Remedy — 

Force yourself to use the most effective com- 
bination of speed, twist and placement. 

V. 

The Error of Under-Play in the Extremely 
Easy Second Serve. 

This is probably the most expensive particu- 
lar under-play on the average among any hun- 
dred players we might select at random. 

Damage — 

It deliberately throws away the advantage 
of the attack possessed by the server. 

Remedy — 

Reduce any differences between the first and 
second serve until the two serves are nearly 
similar, which will considerably increase your 
accura^cy in handling the second serve. With 



20 Spalding's Athletic Library 

the accoiii})aiiyiug increase iu accuracy will 
follow a safe increase in speed of the second 
serve. A ver}^ great increase in speed is often 
effected without any increase in the jDercentage 
of double faults. 

VI. 

The Error of Under-Play in Playing All 
Shots and Particularly Top-Spin Drives 
So That They Strike Only Half Way 
Back in Court Instead of Striking 
;Xear the Back Line. 
Damage — 

This enables your adversary to play many 
feet further forward than he otherwise would 
and thereby gives him considerable advantage. 
Rem cdy — 

Keep in mind the matter of placing them 
v\'ell back in court. 
Exceptions — 

(a) The intentional easy play to fore-court 
when your adversary is very far back. 

(b) The play to your adversary's feet, and 

(c) The cross-court near the side line. 



Spalding s Athletic Library 21 

VIL 

The Error of Under-Play in Kefusing a Safe 

Volley and Instead Going Back to 

Play the Ball on a Bound. 

Damage — 

(a) You are further back and can play less 
effectively. 

(b) Your adversary is given extra time to 
get ready for the play. 

Remedy — 

Make yourself volley. If you do not know 
how, learn how. 

VIII. 
The Error of Under-Play in Unnecessarily 
Delaying Play on a Dropping Ball. 
Damage — 

(a) You lose the easier opportunity to play 
it into court from a higher point. 

(b) You give your adversary the additional 
time to get ready. 

Remedy — 

Hush forward and play it while still high 
and get that habit. 



22 Spalding s Athletic Library 

IX. 

'J'liE Error of Under-Play in Lobbing When 

A Level Play is Reasonably Safe 

AND More Effective. 

Damagc-rr 

(1) It weakens the attack, and 

(2) Gives the adversary a chance to smash. 

Remedy — 

Force yourself to keep in mind the idea that 
before you lob you will look for the alternative 
of a reasonably safe level shot. 

X. 

The Error of Under-Play in Failing to 
Advance Between Plays AYhen Your 
Adversary is in Back-Court and You 
Believe He Cannot Drive Past You at 
the Net. 

Damage — 

You lose the oi)portunity to attack. 

Remedy — 

Keep the idea of advancing in mind, usinc it 
when vou can until it becomes a habit 



Spa/diiig's Athletic Library 23 



THREE ERRORS OF POSITION 

I. 

The Ekror or Not Keeping Ready to Play. 

(a) In failing to move to the most desirable 
place, and 

(b) In failing to keep the entire body in 
position readj^ for pla,y. 

When finishing one play yon should already 
be starting toward that place which Avill best 
enable 3'ou to defend your court against the 
next play of your adversary. Even if you 
reach that desired spot and there is time to 
spare, you should not assume any unready po- 
sition, but 

REMAIN 

(a) With knees bent. 

(b) With body crouched forward, and 

(c) With the head of the racket lightly held 
in th^ left hand (probably in position for a 



24 Spalding's Athletic Library 

backhand play, for most persons can make the 
change to the forehand position more quickly 
than the change to the backhand). 

There is hardly ever an instant ivhen you 
should not he moving. 

If your adversary is to play from his back- 
line, you should be advancing to the net ; if he 
is to play from inner court, you should be re- 
treating to your back line. If you have been 
forced to the side, you should be rushing back 
to center. 

Damage — 

If you fail to keep moving you lose the edge 
on the attack (you make poorer plays or no 
plays, and you lose the game if other things 
are at all equal). 

Remedy — 

If you will remember to keep moving, then 
most of the rest of it will take care of itself. 
But particularly remember to come forward 
when your adversary is hack. 




mS5 



Spaldiui 's Athletic Library 25 

II. 

The Error of Failing to Have Your Feet on 
Two Points of a Line Parallel With 
the Direction of Play at the Time of 
Starting a Stroke Either Forehand or 
Backhand. 
That is, your side is toward ttie direction of 
play. 

Otherwise your plays are weak and clumsy. 
The only exceptions are a few unusual serves. 

III. 

The Error of Failing to Stoop With the 
Face Low When Making a Straight 

Play on a Low Ball. 
(Of course you would not stoop low in mak- 
ing a top-spin drive. ) 

Damage — 

If you do not get low in playing a straight 
shot on a low ball, you are less certain of get- 
ting it and much less accurate in your play. 

Remedy — 

Eemember to stoop for low balls until it be- 
comes a habit. It is particularly necessary 
when playing straight shots in receiving low 
crookedrbounding serves on your backhand. 



26 Spalding s Athletic Library 



FOUR ERRORS RELATING TO 

MENTAL CALCULATION 

AND ALERTNESS. 

I. 

The Error of Keeping the Top-Line of the 

Net in Your Eye^ Instead of Keeping the 

Back Line of the Court in Your Eye. 

Over 90 per cent, of players play more into 
the net than they play over the back line, while 
the reverse should be the rule. 

Damage — 

1. The plays are short, lacking in speed and 
permit the adversary to play further forAvard 
tlian he otherwise would. 

2. The adversary is saved the trouble of de- 
ciding whether to play it or take a chance 
that it may go out. 

How very expensive this error is to certain 
players may be found by comparing the num- 
bers of their nets to the number they drive 
over the back line and tliat will give only a 
part of the actual damage. 



Spalding's Athletic Library 27 

Remedy — 

Deliberately make yourself perform the men- 
tal operation of remembering the back line and 
then you will forget the net. 

II. 

The Error of Failing to Notice the Par- 
ticular Twist or the Absence of Twist 
IN Your Opponent's Play (Especially 
When You Are to Play It on the 
Bound as When Your Opponent 
Serves. ) 
Damage — 

You are not so \vell prepared for the irregu- 
lar bound as you might have been if you had 
noticed, so you miss or make a poorer play. 
Remedy — 

Eemember to notice this until noticing it 
becomes a habit. 

III. 

The Error of Deciding That You Will Play 

A Particular Shot Before You Know 

What Kind of a Ball Is to Be Received 

BY You. 

(This idiosyncrasy only applies to certain 



28 Spalding's ^Ithlctic Library 

persons. Sometimes they seem to say to them- 
selves, ^'Now I will play such a shot'' (or per- 
haps a number of such shots), and then they 
proceed to play them whether suitable or not. 
It is absurd, but not so rare as might be ex- 
pected. ) ^ 
Damage — 
Obvious. 
Remedy — 
Don't. 

IV. 
The Error of Trying to Improve Your Play 
When Seriously Working to Win (and 
THE Corresponding Error of Trying to 
Win When Working to Improve You2 
Play). 
Damage — 

If you try to do botii at the same time, yon 
do little of either. 
Remedy — 

Concede to yourself that for that set you Avill 
do the one (letting the other slide), and then if 
yon stick it out that way you will accomplisli 
something. 



Spalding's Athletic Library 29 



TWO ERRORS RELATING TO 
PARTICULAR PLAYS 

I. 

The Error of the HIGH BOUNDING Easy 
Play (Most Often the Serve) Especial- 
ly When Near the Net (and Particu- 
larly When Near the End of the Net) . 

( I am not referring to those very fast, fierce 
twists which only can be received forty feet 
from the net, but to the easy play which is met 
in inner court.) 

Damage — 

This easy HIGH BOUNDING play is pun- 
ished much more severely than it would be if it 
bounded LOW and it can be driven cross-court 
or down the side line. This is the most ex- 
pensive error of the average beginner and of 
many an older player. 

Remedy — 

Play (or serve) 

(a) Close to the net, 



30 Spalding's Athletic Library 

(b) A level ball, 

(c) Perhaps witb side-cut underneath, 
which three things all tend to make it bound 
low, 

(d) Place it near the center of the court, 
and 

, (e) As far back from the net as possible, 
(f) Or you may take the opposite remedy of 
speed and drop, giving fierceness to the high 
bound, and it then is no longer easy to receive. 

11. 

The Error of Refusing to Lob When 
Necessary. 

When you are in back-court and the net 
seems covered by your adversary so that he is 
likely to kill your level play with a cross-court, 
then you have no option except to lob. 

When you are driven so far out to the side 
of the court that you will lack time to return 
before the next play (and you are not making 
a kill), then your sole way of gaining the re- 
quired time is in making a very high lob. 



Spalding's Athletic Library 31 

Damage — 

Many reckless shots are thrown away when 
safe lobs are possible. 

Remedy — 

Particularly when you are in back-court and 
the net seems covered by the adversary, repaeni' 
ber to lob. 



32 Spalding's Athletic Library 



FOUR ERRORS IN DOUBLES 



The Error, in Doubles^ op Failing to Keep 
Beside Your Partner. 

The old game with one front and one back 
left many more uncovered openings and there- 
fore was much weaker. 

Remedy — 

Keep beside your partner at all times, 
whether advancing or retreating ( except that 
one stands at the net when liis partner serves 
until the ball is in play). 

II. 

The Error, in Doubles, of Not Going to the 

Net for the First Play, When Your 

Partner Serves. 

The net position greatly limits the receiver's 
play and you frequently "kill" his return of the 
serve. 



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Spalding's Athletic Library 33 

III. 

The Ekror, in Doubles, of Standing Near 
THE Net While Your Partner Is Receiv- 
ing THE Serve. 

Damage — 

If your partner happens to play into the 
hands of tlie adversary at the net, the adver- 
sary has a wide oblique opening to play be- 
tween you and your partner. 

Remedy — 

Stay beside your partner. 

IV. 

The Error, in Doubles, of Failing to Give 
Advice to Your Partner. 

You usually have a partial side view of 
the ball your partner is to volley and there- 
fore can tell better than he whether it is going 
beyond the back-line. If you believe it out, 
say quickly, "out." If you are in doubt and 
he could play it on the bound, say "bound iV 

If your partner has had to turn his back 
to the net in running back for a play so that 



34 Spalding s Athletic Library 

he luay have missed seeing the adversaries run 
to the net, then warn him to "lob.'' 

If the ball comes between you and your part- 
ner, either take it yourself or else say "play 
if This decision is usually made by the part- 
ner nearer the net if there is a difference. If 
the partners are where they belong, equally dis- 
tpj).t from the net and the ball is equally dis- 
tant from them and on the center line, then 
the advice should be given by the better player 
of the pair. 

The worst failure to give advice is when it 
occurs in connection with a feint toward play 
followed by leaving it for the partner to play, 
v/iiich is a.imost certam to spoil his play. 



Spalding's Athletic Library 35 



TWO ERRORS IN REGARD TO 
THE GENERAL CAMPAIGN 

I. 

The Error of Failing to Keep Track of the 
Different Effects Produced on Your 
Present Adversary by the Different 
Styles of Strokes and Plays at Your 
Command. 
This error is, of course, combined with the 
failure to detect, select and press the particu- 
lar styles of play which prove effective. 
Damage — 

The error of failing to do this should be suffi- 
cient to cause you to lose the game, if you and 
your adversary are at all evenly matched. 
Remedy — 

(a) Try playing his back-hand, 

(b) Try rushing him back and forth by 
playing first one corner and then the other, 

(c) Try drawing him to the net by a short 
play and then lobbing over him, 

(d) Try top-spin drives, 



36 Spalding's Athletic Library 

(e) Try straight balls, 

(f) Try undercuts and chops (in particular 
these trouble some players who rely on top- 
spin drives), 

(g) Try change of speed; that is, one or 
two fast and then one or two slow. 

(h) Try staying back, 

(i) Try coming to net. 

If you are uncertain whether a particular 
method (or particular stroke) is profitable or 
unprofitable, give a preference to it for a time 
and compare the result with the results fol- 
lowing the other methods (or following the 
other strokes). 

If the results are close and you are in doubt 
whether a particular stroke is profitable or un- 
profitable you may under some circumstances 
try the method (which has been satisfactorily 
used by the writer at times when the doubtful 
stroke was being used frequently and when the 
general mental problems of plays were not 
especially absorbing) . This method of keeping 
a mental tally is as follows : 

Ignore all other kinds of plays and ignore 



Spalding s Athletic Library 37 

ail the plays of the doubtful shot which merely 
go into court without definitely decidijig the 
winning or losing of the point, counting only 
those which win or lose the point. Do not 
try to remember two numbers, but just one. 

To illustrate : If in doubt whether your top- 
spin drive is profitable, keep count (not 
A^'hether it is going into court or not), but of 
just those instances Avhen you see it lose the 
point and when you see it iciri the point. Keep 
the score mentally as follows: If lost, "one 
bad"; if followed by a win, mentally note 
'^even-'; if followed by three more Avins, note 
"three good" ; then, if followed by one lost, sub- 
tract and note "two good." You are thus able 
to keep track, by having only one number in 
mind at a time. If the figures stay on the 
"good" side, then that shot is worth Avhile; if 
they stay on the "bad" side, then abandon that 
shot against that opponent (or at least do so, 
unless you are being beaten anyway and all 
your other shots wken tested, prove Avorse). 

Caution — 

But keep in mind the accompanying effect of 



38 Spalding's Athletic Library 

any especial element of exhaustion involved in 
any particular play or style of play, on the part 
of either yourself or your adversary. 

II. 

The Error of Failing to Work Out That 
Particular Degree of Rashness or Mod- 
eration IN Your General Play Which 
Cannot Successfully Be Met by Your 
Present Adversary. 

This is the element which finally determines 
most close matches. Regarding it, see the fol- 
loAving theory : 

A Theory (Never Before Stated) Upon 
Which to Conduct a Match. 

You must select that particuJar degree of 
rashness or moderation in pour general playing 
ivhich ivill overcome the particular adversary 
before you. 

This is labeled, "A Theory Never Before 
Stated," which is believed correct, but you will 
notice the refraining from calling it a ^^NEW^ 
theorj^, which refraining is because the prin- 



Spalding s Athletic Library 89 

ciple probably has been unconsciously followed 
by most players. But though followed, it 
seems never to have been stated. The nearest 
approach to stating it has been the very dif- 
ferent advice to "try out the adversary to find 
which 2)(irticular style of strokes arc successful 
against him/^ 

It is true that the selection of the "style of 
strokes/' in the case of certain strokes, affects 
the "rashness" or "moderation" of the play, 
but not in the other cases ; nor is the "selection 
of style of strokes^' in any general way the same 
thing as the "selection of the particular degree 
of rashness or moderation of the plays.'' Most 
of the strokes may be played either rashly or 
moderately. 

Under this theory the "rashness" depends 
upon the degree in which the plays possess 

(1) Speed', 

(2) Twist, and 

(3) Olose-placement. 

'fhe rashness may include all three or any 
one or a combination of any two of these ele- 



40 Spalding's Athletic Library 

ments. It is most often concerned with speed, 
hut if the player has a predilection for twist 
or placement, then his particular rashness is 
apt to consist mainly in that characteristic. 
T?iis threefold "rashness'' is as great a fault 
as •^moderation/' and as great a virtue. That 
iSj tlie extreme of either is a fault If one plaj^s 
so rashly as to put less than half in court, of 
course he loses; but so also does the man lose 
who tries to make every f)lay as safe as pos- 
sible. 

If a man is pla^dng very moderately he may 
possibl}' play 95 per cent, into court. If piay- 
ing recklessly, he could drive them all oat of 
court, but unless he plays at least 50 per cent 
into court he cannot possibly win. 

The application of tliis newly stated theory 
is that 

In OiiDER TO Win, a Player Must SELrJ^:;? 
That Degree of Moderation or RashnI'JSS 
Which Enables Him to Place in Court a 
Percentage of Plays Large Enough to Win 
IN SriTE of the Percentag.s' "^-^^^tich Come 
Back. 



Spalding's AtJiletic Library 41 

To illustrate : 

If you are playing carefully from the back 
line and getting 90 per cent, in court, yon will 
lose if your adversary is playing more than 90 
per cent, into court and so you must change to 
something else. 

If you increase your rashness in speed and 
twist and close placement until only 80 per 
cent, of your plays are going into court, the 
question of continuing that degree of rashness 
depends on whether more or less than 80 per 
cent, of your adversary's plays are going into 
court. 

If you try 70 per cent., then are 70 per cent, 
of your adversary's plays going into court? If 
60 per cent., are 60 per cent, of his in court? 
You, of course, cannot use a very small margin 
over 50 per cent, unless in playing ^^kills" or 
sma,shes which are so fierce that they cannot 
possibly come back. 

It might be that you could win at either of 
two different percentages, and, of course, you 
would take the more successful of the two. 

Brookes, Wilding and Dixon in international 



42 Spalding s Athletic Library 

play exhibited a degree of care approximating 
90 per cent, of plays in court and W. A. Larned 
was probably only a little less accurate. 
McLoughlin's accuracy is probably between 
TO per cent, and 80 per cent., and Williams' 
accuracy (?) is probably between 60 per cent, 
and 70 per cent. But Williams makes up in 
fierce rashness what he lacks in accuracy, so 
that on his moderately accurate days he be- 
comes formidable. He drives every shot with 
practically all possible speed, some top-spin 
and all possible fineness of placement. It is 
not known whether he could play a slow, safe 
game or not, for no one ever saw him try. In a 
general way the slow, safe player is as apt to 
win against the extremely reckless players as 
he is against his own ^tjle of play, for he wins 
not on his own good plays, but on his adver- 
sary's errors. Some men like W. A. Larned 
(in his prime) are masters both of the reckless 
and also of the careful style. Williams appar- 
ently knoAvs only the fierce style. McLoughlin 
originally played only the fierce attack, but 
later sought to master careful accuracy. When 



Spalding s Athletic Library 43 

the Pacific Coast players encounter Eastern 
adversaries, they employ usually fierce rash- 
ness against moderate accuracy. But con- 
spicuous exceptions among the Easterners are 
Williams and Behr. 

Some players have a particular degree of 
rashness in their play, no matter whether their 
adversary is playing rashly or moderately. 
Others accommodate either in whole or in part 
their degree of rashness or moderation to make 
it correspond (or nearly correspond) to their 
opponent of the moment. Many, possibly most 
players, have an established habit in this re- 
spect which they do not vary. But the only 
sensible toay is to try out one or tivo different 
degrees of rashness and one or two different de- 
f/rees of moderation (giving tliree or four, or 
possibly five, different degrees of fierceness of 
style) to find lohich is the most successful one 
against your adversary of the moment, and 
then persist in that style so long as it remains 
successful. 

This is the reasoning underneath the situa- 
tion when it is desirable to try out some change 



44 Spalding's Athletic Library 

in style to avert defeat, and you hear a player 
in doubles say to his partner "try playing them 
harder," or else hear him say, "try them slowly 
and carefully." 

It fe not the style of play as to rashness or 
moderation on the part of your adversary 
which determines the style of play on your 
part which will defeat him. It may be that he 
is a reckless player. From that fact you do 
not know whether your best chance of beating 
him is in playing recklessly or in a medium 
manner or most moderately, and the only way 
you can find out is by trying all three ways. 
If your adversary is a careful, moderate player, 
you have the same doubt until you test out 
whether reckless or medium or moderate style 
is required to defeat him. The same thing 
is true if your adversary possesses any par- 
ticular degree of rashness or moderation, or if 
he is classed exactly between the extremes. 
In any event you can only tell the degree of 
your own recklessness or moderation to em- 
ploy against any particular adversary by try- 
ing out the effect of all the degrees of rashness 



Spalding's Athletic Library 45 

and moderation you possess and selecting the 
one that works the best on him. This is prob- 
ably often the real method of those players 
who have the habit of losing the first few 
games or of losing the first set and then "after 
having felt their man out," turn around and 
win the match. 

It is true that it often may be the other 
theory of selection of strokes, or the success 
of superior stamina, but probably a majority 
of close matches are decided by the accidental 
or intentional following of, or refusal to fol- 
low, this theory of testing out and thereafter 
following the most serviceable degree of your 
rashness or moderation against that particular 
opponent. 

The trying out, testing or proving of differ- 
ent degrees of rashness is not at variance with 
the advice above given regarding pressing and 
under-play. Strictly speaking, that degree of 
rashness which in that particular match has 
proved the most effective, is the standard by 
which pressing and under-play in that match 
are to be determined. Any play more rash 



46 Spalding's Athletic Library 

than the proved effective degreCj is pressing, 
and any play more moderate than the proved 
effective degree, is under-play. The particular 
proved standard will change in each new 
match. The fact of pressing above, or under- 
Ijlay below, this changing, proved standard, 
will exist the same, whether you take the 
trouble to ascertain it or not, and the mere fact 
of your refusal to ascertain the facts and to 
understand the reasons will not exempt you 
from such damages as follow from pressing and 
from under-play. 



Spalding's Athletic Library 47 



THE FINAL ERROR 

The Error of Failing to Examine Your Own 
Play at Stated Intervals to Discover 

AND Correct These Common Faults. 
Possibly some may be "born great" tennis 
players, but most of them "achieve" the qual- 
ity through as much mental as physical effort 
(and I have never known of the greatness be- 
ing "thrust upon" any). 

The average player is much below the ability 
which he might readily achieve, 

Not so much because he cannot understand 
his faults, 

Nor even because he does not know of the 
existence of such faults (in others) (for he 
usually knows of such faults), 

As it is, because he fails to examine his own 
play in a search for faults with a vieio to cor- 
recting them. 

The inferiority of players who stand below 
the average (if not due to the physical inability 



48 Spalding's Athletic Library 

to execute any shot properly) is usually due 
not merely to one error, nor to a few errors, 
but rather is due to the combination of a con- 
siderable number of the foregoing thirty-four 
errors. It is due to the "tout ensemble" 
(which has been "Yankeeized'^ into the 
"demned total") of many known simple mis- 
takes. 

If you are not in the habit of periodically 
examining your play for errors, then "get 
busy" and check up against your play the 
thirty- four items enumerated. 



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STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES 



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^S^SeTHE SPALDING 



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OFFICIAL 

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TENNIS BALL 

No. OOII 
SPEEDY ACCURATE DURABLE 



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are inseparable from the former four-piece, plug style method 
of manufacture, we then turned our attention to the cover. 

We now have perfected a cover which completely eliminates 
the necessity of sewing — and consequent liability to rip— a 
factor which will greatly prolong the life and use of the nail. 

The new cover on the Spalding Official Two-Piece Unsewed 
Tennis Ball was successfully tried out last autumn in a number 
of tournaments and met with immediate favor. Tournament 
committees on several occasions, after ordering the usual quan- 
tity for an event, found that they had a supply left over. This 
was due to the remarkable wearing quality of the cover, which 
has been found to outlast the old cover two to one. Players 
who used the ball at Southern resorts last winter confirmed 
these favorable reports. 

It is with much pleasure, therefore, that we offer the Spald- 
ing Official Two-Piece Tennis Ball, which combines all 
the essentials of accurate play with the economical feature 
of durability. 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 





005 823 204 A 



